The Tyler's Place Podcast

From the Venerable Master (January, 2009)

Brethren and Ladies

Since this is my last article as your Venerable Master and as we enter 2009, I would like to wish you the best and most prosperous of New Years. It is hard to believe that my term as the Venerable Master is at an end. It went by very quickly and I enjoyed if very much. I want to thank my corps of officers for all the work and dedication that went into making this a good year. I am confident that the new corps of officers will successfully carry on these programs and, perhaps, improve them as well as introducing some new innovations.

I wish to congratulate all of those who received the Mason of the Year Award for their service and contributions to their Blue Lodge. I especially want to congratulate Worshipful Bill Malmstrom who received the Scottish Rite Mason of the Year Award.

Since New Year is a time of change, I thought I should interject a brief history of the changes in medicine:

2000 B.C. - "Here, eat this root"

1000 B.C. - "That root is heathen, say this prayer"

1850 A.D. - "That prayer is superstition, drink this potion"

1940 A.D. - "That potion is snake oil, swallow this pill"

1985 A.D. - "That pill is ineffective, take this antibiotic"

2000 A.D. - "That antibiotic is artificial. Here, eat this root"

~Author Unknown

I hope all of you had a tremendous holiday filled with love, laughter, good food, gifts, and, above all, love. As we move into January, it is a time of new beginnings or, as MacGyver would say, an opportunity for a “whole new set of possibilities”. Let us make the most of them as we move forward in Scottish Rite.

Brother Ben Franklin said, “Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.” So let this New Year find you a better person. Edith Lovejoy Pierce said, “We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.” Scottish Rite is full of opportunities to learn, to grow, and write the pages of your future. Take advantage of it. See you at the next meeting!